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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24556960">Some Sunny Day</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Popscribbles/pseuds/Popscribbles'>Popscribbles</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>HLVRAI - Fandom, Half Life VR But The AI Is Self Aware</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, gordons an ai too, his actions are his but ALSO the players?, idk i just wanted 2 write gay shit can u blame me, things are fine though, uhhhhhhh idk man this just kinda popped in my head</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 02:13:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,681</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24556960</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Popscribbles/pseuds/Popscribbles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>At the end of everything, Gordon finds himself alone in endless darkness. He takes some time to reflect on the people he cares about.</p>
<p>He kinda figures out he's really gay and wants to kiss BOTH his crushes lol.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Benrey/Gordon Freeman, Benrey/Tommy Coolatta, Benrey/Tommy Coolatta/Gordon Freeman, Bubby/Dr. Coomer (Half-Life), Tommy Coolatta/Gordon Freeman</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>351</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Reflection</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gordon Freeman was incredibly aware of his status as a video game character. </p>
<p>He’d realized it after Tommy’s party, when the world started to disappear in chunks, and the last thing he’d seen was his friends reaching out to him, crying out his name, before they blipped out of existence as well. It was unnatural, how the terrain ceased to exist in mere seconds, leaving sharp polygons and <em> code </em> in its wake. Gordon could only <em> stare </em> as lines of ones and zeroes swarmed his vision—until everything disappeared entirely. The man was left floating in pure darkness, and it was <em> terrifying. </em> Nothing seemed to exist, <em> but he was still there. </em> </p>
<p>If Gordon had been told at the beginning of his journey that he would be spending an undetermined amount of time alone in a silent void, he probably would have said <em> “good, I could use a break from this hellhole.” </em> Though, now he would <em> kill </em> for some kind of noise. The only sound in this endless space would come from himself, and even then, it was a garbled mess that pierced his ears. So Gordon silently hovered and <em> waited.  </em></p>
<p>The boredom was enough to make someone cry. He couldn’t even hum a simple tune to himself without blowing out his eardrums, and it was <em> agonizing. </em> Gordon felt helpless in this void, unable to do anything but <em> think. </em> </p>
<p>And think he did. Gordon thought and thought until his head was nothing but a cacophony of memories and ideas and anything his brain could handle. Memories of his childhood, of old drawings, stories and songs, as hazy and <em> fake </em> as they were. One could call it madness, getting lost in thought so much, but it was the only thing that Gordon felt kept him somewhat grounded. </p>
<p>At some point, his mind wandered to Joshua. His son. His <em>baby boy. </em>Was Joshua even <em>real? Did he even exist?</em> Gordon desperately tried to recall his son’s face, practically begging for his brain to remember the photo in his locker, but nothing came to mind. Tears welled in his eyes and he did nothing but sob for what he could only assume were hours. Days, even. There was no concept of time in the void, which only broke his heart and mind more.</p>
<p>There was a period where nothing happened, where Gordon floated in place, apathetic and hopeless. Until he thought about the science team. Tommy, Dr. Coomer, Bubby; hell, even <em> Benrey. </em> He remembered their journey, how they had stuck with him despite the odds. He felt his heart catch in his throat as his mind flooded with memories of their escapades. </p>
<p>Tommy. God, where to start? Gordon didn’t exactly click with him at first, but it took no time at all for him to care for the man with all his heart. Tommy was like a breath of fresh air compared to the rest of the group, always willing to stop and listen to Gordon when safety was a major concern. He took out 300 Coomer clones on his own, led Gordon through the dangers of Black Mesa when he’d been severely injured; he’d <em> been there </em> for Gordon. And Gordon couldn’t help but admit that the man was attractive, especially when he smiled. God, what Gordon would give to see that sweet look once again, to cup the other man’s face and hold him close.</p>
<p>Dr. Coomer felt like family; like a cool grandparent who would sneak you a treat even if your parents said no. Sure, his voice was loud and he often repeated things and went on seemingly pointless tangents, but Gordon always liked it in the end. He missed the reassuring words and support the older man would give, how he’d always believed in him throughout their adventure, even in the roughest of times. He missed the cheerful greeting that Dr. Coomer would always give him, even when it wasn’t necessary or relevant. The older man’s presence felt like a comforting pat on the shoulder, and god, he desperately needed comfort.</p>
<p>Bubby was an asshole, and Gordon knew this. The man was snarky and rude, but it was undeniably just a part of him—a part that Gordon couldn’t help but miss. Sure, the doctor had gotten his right hand removed, but it didn’t take long for Gordon to forgive that. He’d seen Bubby’s regret and shock, and since he’d been seemingly tricked by the military, Gordon found that forgiveness was far easier than holding a grudge. Bubby was a sharpshooter, and definitely prevented Gordon’s death on numerous occasions. And Gordon couldn’t exactly blame the man for his rudeness, since being born and raised in a <em> tube </em>didn’t really leave much room for regular interaction. Bubby was alright, in Gordon’s book. He wishes they had gotten a little closer.</p>
<p>Benrey was a constant source of annoyance and stress for Gordon. The man—if you could really call him that—absolutely infuriated Gordon throughout their travels, talking nothing but nonsense. Which is why it utterly <em> floored </em>Gordon when he realized he missed the bastard. </p>
<p>Gordon reflected on his time with Benrey, and thought about <em> everything </em> the guard had ever said to him. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t miss the stupid, meaningless statements and, hell, even the passport questioning. When reviewing his interactions with Benrey, Gordon realized that had he not been in a life-threatening situation, the two could’ve gotten along great. He found himself quietly laughing when he recalled certain moments. <em> Looks a bit shit, </em> who just <em> says </em> that to someone? He thought back to the few moments where Benrey seemed genuine, asking if he was alright, and frowned. He pondered if Benrey even knew what he’d been doing, if he even <em> wanted </em>to be the bad guy. This was a game, right? Perhaps it was some kind of messed up code, so that’s what he narrowed it down to, before returning to the fluttery feeling in his chest as he recalled more unappreciated moments he had with the other. He missed the sweet voice most of all, probably. It was the closest thing to music he’d gotten throughout their whole journey, and Gordon couldn’t deny that it sounded lovely.</p>
<p>Ah, music, he’d nearly forgotten that he’d probably never hear it again. A song entered his mind as he thought about his friends, one he’d heard long ago, and only remembered a few lines from. Tears found their way into Gordon’s eyes, eventually rolling down his cheeks as the song collided with the memories of the people he’d been through hell with, and he let himself wail out in sorrow as he came to terms with just how <em> utterly alone </em>he was. Through his tears, he mumbled out the lyrics through the glitchy mess that was his voice, just barely recalling the tune.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> We’ll meet again. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> Don’t know where, don’t know when. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> But I know we’ll meet again </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em> Some sunny day. </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Reunited</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Through his jumbled mess of a voice, a deafening </span>
  <em>
    <span>screech </span>
  </em>
  <span>entered the noise, causing Gordon to cover his ears and recoil in surprise and pain. His eyes shut tight as the void turned a blinding white, and there seemed to be the sound of what Gordon could only describe as </span>
  <em>
    <span>computer-y</span>
  </em>
  <span> echoing throughout the endlessness. Something was different; something was </span>
  <em>
    <span>changing.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He only opened his eyes when the noise turned into the gentle hum of ventilation, and he felt the </span>
  <em>
    <span>ground </span>
  </em>
  <span>beneath him. He looked down to confirm that, yes, there was a floor there. It was familiar, and a quick glance around told Gordon that this was </span>
  <em>
    <span>Black Mesa.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He was back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And he was alone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stood at the entrance, where he’d found himself twice in the past, gazing forward at the empty desk that normally seated a guard. For a moment, he feared that he was reliving his trip through time, but quickly cast the thought aside as he regarded the pleasant atmosphere of the building. Despite its emptiness, it wasn’t tense in the slightest. It felt like more of a company day off rather than the end of the world. Still, Gordon was careful as he made his way down the hall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A distant sound caught his attention; a </span>
  <em>
    <span>voice.</span>
  </em>
  <span> And it was familiar. So much so, that Gordon began sprinting, hoping, </span>
  <em>
    <span>begging </span>
  </em>
  <span>that this was real. His footsteps echoed through the hallway, the boots of the HEV suit slapping loudly against the ground. His legs carried him more than his mind did, and he found himself making his way towards the locker room. He’d stopped right at the door, staring at it in awe. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves—</span>
  <em>
    <span>why was he nervous?</span>
  </em>
  <span>— before placing a hand to the door and watching as it slid to the side, allowing for him to enter the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And there, in the center of the room, turned to look at him, were the familiar faces of his friends. Dr. Coomer, the closest to him, turned to face him fully, looking absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>stunned</span>
  </em>
  <span> yet </span>
  <em>
    <span>overjoyed</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He beamed at Gordon, his face showing off his crows feet in that familiar, friendly way that Gordon always appreciated.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Ah, hello Gordon!”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Dr. Coomer would have said, if Gordon didn’t immediately cut him off with a hug and a sob. The action surprised the older man, but he didn’t waste time in returning the embrace, letting Gordon cry against his shoulder as he offered a comforting pat on the back of his head. Gordon could feel the doctor’s joy at his appearance, as Coomer was hugging him just as close—if not, closer—than Gordon was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad to see you again, Gordon.” Dr. Coomer said softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gordon sniffled and let himself grin at the sound of his voice. “Missed you too, Dr. Coomer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bubby let out a “tch” from not far away, but there was an audible smile to it. Gordon lifted his head from Coomer’s shoulder to see the other man with his arms folded across his chest, and a kind smirk on his face. There was relief in his eyes, though Gordon knew Bubby would never admit it. When Dr. Coomer released him from the embrace, Gordon had made his way over to Bubby, who put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. It was reassuring, and made Gordon smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Movement caught Gordon’s eye and he turned to see Tommy, teary-eyed and biting his quivering lower lip, seemingly holding himself together by a thread. Gordon extended his arms wide open for a hug, and Tommy wasted no time in rushing to the other man, a cry of joy escaping him. Tommy had approached the man with such force that it was a surprise they didn’t fall to the ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“M-Mister Freema- G-Gord-!” Tommy kept cutting himself off, unsure how exactly to address the man. Gordon rubbed circles into his back as the taller man clutched him and wailed. “W-We, I- </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> was so worried a-about… about you! You just- you… you disappeared!! And you looked so... so </span>
  <em>
    <span>scared</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and we couldn’t do- we couldn’t help!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, Tommy, I know…” Gordon replied, swaying with the embrace. He pulled away slightly, though his hands stayed on the other man, moving down his back and resting at his hips. The movement didn’t go unnoticed by Tommy, who’s face flushed a dark shade of pink. His wide eyes darted around nervously before meeting Gordon’s half-lidded ones and focusing on him. Gordon’s left hand came up to brush against Tommy’s cheek gently, and the flustered man felt his nerves calm down, leaning into the touch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neither knew who moved first, not that it really mattered. Their lips met in a short, sweet kiss—not deep enough to be uncomfortable for onlookers, but not light enough to be considered a peck. It wasn’t passionate, but it was loving, and there was a deep </span>
  <em>
    <span>longing </span>
  </em>
  <span>in every moment. The kiss ended about as quick as it started, but the two kept their foreheads pressed together as they gazed happily in each other’s eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both seemed to forget the three others in the room, though none of them </span>
  <em>
    <span>dared</span>
  </em>
  <span> to interrupt the scene. Bubby rolled his eyes at the two men, his arm around Coomer, who was grinning from ear to ear at the display. Benrey was watching from his spot against a locker, focused on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>tenderness </span>
  </em>
  <span>of the scene. He wasn’t jealous—not by any means—but he stared with something tugging at his own heart. It felt a little bit like loneliness, but combined with the fluttery feeling one gets when their crush smiles at them. He fidgeted in place, and caught the attention of the two he was staring at. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gordon approached with an air about him that Benrey hadn’t really seen directed towards him before. It wasn’t the annoyance or </span>
  <em>
    <span>anger</span>
  </em>
  <span> that he was expecting, which threw him off. Instead it was warm—</span>
  <em>
    <span>welcoming</span>
  </em>
  <span>—and Benrey found himself at a loss for words. He needed to think of something to say, but couldn’t find any remarks to pass his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-” he managed to say, quietly, before Gordon pulled him close. He froze up at the gesture, his shock incredibly apparent. Gordon gave him a squeeze, and it snapped Benrey out of his momentary stupor, allowing him to slowly bring his arms around the other man. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...didn’t wanna be bad, bro…” Benrey mumbled softly as Gordon patted his back, relaxing his muscles. He didn’t even realize how tense his shoulders were. “...’m sorry. ‘bout everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s alright, man.” Gordon murmured, “Sorry for being a dick.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“more like-” Benrey started, trying to ease the odd feeling between the two of them. He cut himself off with his own chuckle, and Gordon rolled his eyes, grinning at the implied joke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my </span>
  <em>
    <span>god,</span>
  </em>
  <span> shut the fuck up,” he laughed, “I’m trying to have a moment with you, dude.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Benrey felt another pair of arms wrap around him and looked up to see Tommy resting his chin atop his helmet, smiling. His heart fluttered as he realized both of the men were comfortably embracing him, and a stream of pink and blue sweet voice spilled from his mouth before he could catch it. He squirmed out of the embrace, embarrassed, but Tommy and Gordon just stared at the colorful display, smiling fondly at it. It needed no description, but one was provided anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pink to blue…” Gordon said softly, grinning at Tommy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tommy smiled and the duo turned to face Benrey. “...means </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘I love you.’</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The soft looks from the two men caused Benrey to let out another few balls of sweet voice, and he covered his face, flustered. “hghmggmhh shut up bbbbbb”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A cough from the other side of the room brought the three men back to reality, and they turned to see Bubby tapping his foot against the ground, hands on his hips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you three lovebirds </span>
  <em>
    <span>done</span>
  </em>
  <span> yet?” He sounded less annoyed than his expression made him look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dr. Coomer, on the other hand, was delighted. “Oh, come now, Bubby! We’re witnessing young love unfold right in front of our very eyes!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bubby rolled his eyes and adjusted his glasses. “Well, they can deal with that </span>
  <em>
    <span>later, </span>
  </em>
  <span>when we’re out of this shithole.” His eyes locked on Gordon, eyeing the man up and down. “Are you going to get out of that thing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gordon blinked at him in confusion before realizing that the HEV station was right around the corner. He could </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally </span>
  </em>
  <span>get the hell out of this metal prison. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh shit. Yeah, I guess I should.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The process was only a few quick seconds, but for Gordon it felt like an eternity. Feeling the tightness of the suit encasing his body suddenly loosen up, letting his skin touch open air for the first time in what felt like </span>
  <em>
    <span>ages</span>
  </em>
  <span>—if was strange. The moment he was out of his suit, he realized just how </span>
  <em>
    <span>awful</span>
  </em>
  <span> his body felt, and would have fallen to the floor had Tommy not been there to catch him. His regular clothes that were underneath the HEV suit were wrinkled and coated in sweat, unsurprisingly. Gordon felt the exhaustion hit him, but managed to keep himself awake as the group made their way to the doors, and eventually, outside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a feeling that the five men all shared as they stepped out into the open. The air was refreshing—</span>
  <em>
    <span>real</span>
  </em>
  <span>—compared to how it had previously felt. The clouds moved slowly in the sky, which was now a lovely orange with the sunset. But what really seemed to captivate everyone was the </span>
  <em>
    <span>landscape,</span>
  </em>
  <span> which seemed endless. Like it stretched on for miles. Dr. Coomer looked especially awestruck, a wide grin on his face. This was </span>
  <em>
    <span>real, </span>
  </em>
  <span>at least, for their world.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a cool breeze, which was rather nice considering the heat of the New Mexican desert had been beating down on them for the few moments they had been outdoors previously. It didn’t take long for Bubby to spot an abandoned car parked not too far away, and hotwire it so they could </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally</span>
  </em>
  <span> get the hell out of dodge. He held the passenger seat door open for Coomer, who chuckled at the cheesy gesture and leaned up to give him a quick peck on the cheek before taking a seat. Bubby grinned wide as he made his way to the drivers side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other three had taken a seat in the back, Gordon leaning himself against Benrey out of sheer exhaustion. He blinked as the vehicle began its departure from the facility, suddenly confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, wait. Where are we heading??” He questioned, trying hard to focus on the road and piece together where it was going.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Home.” Bubby stated, flicking on the radio and not offering any information as to </span>
  <em>
    <span>where</span>
  </em>
  <span> exactly “home” meant. Gordon was too tired to care and returned to his half-conscious state. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shifting from the man he leaned on only slightly disturbed him, until the snapping of fingers in front of his face woke him up, and he quickly faced Benrey, preparing an annoyed rant, when he noticed something in the guard’s hands. It was a small piece of paper, and Benrey was holding it almost </span>
  <em>
    <span>nervously,</span>
  </em>
  <span> offering for Gordon to take it. He did, albeit slowly, and flipped it over. His hand flew up to cover his mouth as he let out a soft gasp. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was the photo of Joshua he kept in his locker.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He traced his son’s face gingerly with his finger, taking in every little feature the photo displayed. His mind flooded with memories of him waking up late at night and holding Joshua in his arms to rock him to sleep, spoon feeding him in his highchair, watching him take his first steps. The thoughts took over his brain, and he didn’t realize he was crying until he felt two pairs of arms around him, and a comforting pat from the front seat. He didn’t need to look up to know that Bubby was gazing at him from the rear-view mirror. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he had calmed down, he looked Benrey in the eyes and leaned up to kiss him gently. Benrey widened his eyes, but didn’t protest, instead allowing himself to return the kiss shyly. It lasted only a second shorter than Gordon’s kiss with Tommy, though it felt just as sweet. Gordon held the photo in his right hand, leaning against Benrey, and Tommy intertwined his fingers with Gordon’s left. Tiredness pulled at the MIT graduate’s body, and he let himself quietly drift off to the sound of the car radio.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Keep smiling through.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Just like you always do.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>'Till the blue skies drive the dark clouds </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Far away.</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>aaand thats all! yeah like i said i dont rlly write much but i had a lot of fun w this one.... the characters are rlly fun to think about!!!! i love them. </p><p>this whole thing was super self indulgent hhrhggrg! </p><p>if by chance u enjoyed this n want to follow me..... my tumblr is Soda-Pop-Sergeant.... tho i cannot guarantee I'll write more, I do draw a lot &amp; ur always welcome to send me like.... hcs n stuff..... idk im bad at advertising myself!! just be chill n thats rlly it! </p><p>enjoy ur day thank u for reading this silly thing...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>a little epilogue, sort of? people really liked this n it made me super happy!! Plus I had a few more ideas, so I thought I'd just write em out!! Thank u all for the kind words, they mean a lot to me!! love u all i kissa u</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Gordon stirred, he was greeted with darkness. </p><p>For a brief moment, he panicked. <em> “Had it all been a dream?” </em> his mind raced, before he felt something shuffle beside him, pulling him from his thoughts. He squinted in the darkness, barely making out the faint outline of Benrey’s helmet resting against a pillow. <em> He wore it to sleep? </em></p><p>He notices another presence on the other side of him, and turns to see Tommy sitting up slightly, reaching over to flick on a lamp, and rubbing his eyes. <em> “He looks exhausted” </em>he thought to himself, feeling a little guilty after waking him. But Tommy bears no ill expression towards him, and instead smiles tiredly.</p><p>“It’s- It’s really late, Mr.-” he pauses, and his smile turns sheepish, “Uh, Gordon…” He scoots a little closer to the man and wraps an arm around him, yawning. “Are you alr- are you okay?”</p><p>Gordon can’t seem to find his voice for a moment, but nods in response as he clears his throat. "Uh, yeah, Tommy. Sorry if I woke you up." His face burns as the other man rests his chin on top of his head. </p><p>Tommy absently waves his hand. "S'okay… Do you wanna get- uh, get up?" He asks, moving his hand from around Gordon's shoulder to the blanket that covered them, lifting it slightly.</p><p>It takes Gordon a second to register the question, and when he does, he lets out a quiet "oh! Uh, yeah!" Tommy giggles at him, kissing him on the cheek before stepping out of bed and helping Gordon up. There's protest from Benrey, who had begun to stir at the commotion. He mumbles incoherently as Tommy takes Gordon's spot, wrapping his arms around Benrey, who quieted at his touch. Gordon smiles at the scene as the two seem to drift off almost immediately.</p><p>He tiptoes away from the bed and leaves the room, quietly shutting the door behind him. looking out into the hallway, he notices frames along the walls, each picturing friends and family that Gordon apparently kept contact with. It’s… hazy, to say the least. The more he thinks about it, the more his head hurts. </p><p>Logically, Gordon knows that none of this should exist. Everything before and after his journey through Black Mesa—and Xen—shouldn’t be <em> real. </em>But as he enters the kitchen of a house that is undeniably his, he finds himself doubting that thought. Maybe it was real, after all? He found it strange to imagine all this just… not existing. Especially-</p><p>Joshua. </p><p>Gordon stopped dead in his tracks, freezing in the middle of the kitchen he’d walked into. <em> Where was his son? </em> If this was all real, if all these people and places <em> really </em> existed, then <em> where the hell was Joshua? </em></p><p>He almost sent himself into a frenzy, before something on the counter caught his eye. It was a notepad, clipped to a little stand, and something was scribbled down on it. He quickly reached for it and squinted his eyes to read what was written. </p><p>
  <b> <em>“Saturday- pick up Joshua from John’s”</em> </b>
</p><p>His mind struggled to recall when he had written this. It couldn’t have been anyone else, the handwriting was his, he could tell by the shakiness of the lines. Gordon put a hand to his head, rubbing his eyes as the name <em> John </em> bounced around his brain. John? John. <em> Why was that so familiar? Who was John? </em></p><p>Gordon faintly recalled a photo in the hallway, one picturing him and another man standing side by side, laughing and making faces to the camera. They’re much younger—Gordon thinks he was in college—and the man beside him bears a striking resemblance to himself. </p><p>“John…” Gordon mumbles to himself quietly, before perking up and facepalming. “Shit- <em> John. </em> Of course.” Realization hit him like a bus; Jonathan Freeman was his <em> brother, </em>of course he’d trust his brother to watch his son. Any panic he had melted away as he relaxed into the thought. Joshua was safe, and that was all that mattered to him.</p><p>“Hello, Gordon!”</p><p>At the sudden mention of his name, Gordon nearly jumped out of his skin, whipping around at the speed of light, and dropping the notepad. In the entryway of the kitchen stood Dr. Coomer, face bearing a kind grin. He strides forward and picks up the notepad from the floor, placing it back on its stand before turning back to face the other man.</p><p>“My bad, Gordon! I didn’t mean to startle you!” Coomer exclaims quietly.</p><p>“It’s- It’s alright, Coomer.” Gordon replies, removing the hand that had flown up to his chest to grasp his own shirt. “Jesus… What are you doing up?”</p><p>Coomer tilts his head, his eyebrows raising at the question. “I could ask you the same thing, Gordon! It’s awfully late to be grabbing a snack!” The old man’s hands went to his hips in an almost-fatherly way.</p><p>“I’m not… getting a snack, Dr. Coomer. I was just checking out the house.” he says, rubbing his hands over his face. "It's weird. None of this should even- I- I don't know, man. I don't know how to feel about it."</p><p>Coomer's smile falters a little, and he sighs. "Yes... it <em> is </em>quite strange, isn't it? I’m not quite used to it myself.”</p><p>the doctor walks forward and leans against the kitchen sink, gazing out the window and into the night sky. it's beautiful out; the moon is shining bright and the stars are twinkling. not a single cloud in sight, a <em> perfect </em> time for stargazing. </p><p>"I suppose my beliefs were… well, to put it simply, rather <em> obvious, </em>hm?" his body still faces the sink, but his eyes flicker over to Gordon briefly —apologetically. "Truly, I thought that there was nothing outside of Black Mesa. At the time, I was right. But now it seems that I was wrong, after all."</p><p>Gordon gives Coomer an awkward smile, stepping up beside him. "Well, I mean, good thing you were, huh?" </p><p>That makes Coomer chuckle, and he turns to place a firm hand on Gordon's shoulder. "Indeed! I guess my message reached the player like I had intended, and now we have a whole world to explore!"</p><p>Gordon nods and his eyes look to the window as an owl soars by. Suddenly, his brows furrow and he finds himself frowning slightly as a thought crosses his mind.</p><p>"Hey… Dr. Coomer?"</p><p>"Yes, Gordon?"</p><p>"How long has it been since… since the game ended?" </p><p>Dr. Coomer seems to ponder this for a moment, his hand coming up to scratch his chin. "Well, Gordon, if my calculations are correct, then I believe it has been about one month since the game ended!"</p><p><em> One month. </em> the words repeat in his head. <em> Jesus Christ.  </em></p><p>"I- I was in the fucking void for… a month?? That's IT? It felt like a fucking year or something, man! I- Jesus..." Gordon’s hand comes up to rub his eye, slowly dragging it down his face until it partially covered his mouth. “I just… I didn’t think I was ever gonna get out of there…” His voice is quieter than it was before, and he feels a lump in his throat that he just barely manages to swallow. “I kinda started to give up at the end, y’know? I was all alone a… and-”</p><p>Gordon swears under his breath as he feels a warm tear roll down his cheek, quickly wiping it away with his palm and avoiding the look of worry that Dr. Coomer was giving him. The older man hesitantly opens his arms and steps forwards, pulling Gordon into a tight hug. Gordon hugs back, finding comfort in the friendly embrace. </p><p>“The player… certainly took their time getting you back to us, Gordon.” Coomer murmurs, “I suppose you were… harder to find, if I had to guess? Your case was vastly different from ours…”</p><p>Gordon didn't know how to respond to that, so he nodded with a sound of slight agreement. Coomer took that as a sign to keep going.</p><p>"But I'm relieved they did! I don't know what we'd do without you, Gordon!" Coomer changes to a happier tone, pulling back and flashing a supportive smile.</p><p>Gordon involuntarily lets out a quiet laugh. That bit was...probably true. If their time at Black Mesa had taught him anything, Gordon knew that the team would cause all sorts of chaos without him around. He returns the smile back to Coomer.</p><p>"Yeah… thanks, Dr. Coomer."</p><p>"No problem, Gordon! I surely hope you're feeling at ease!" Coomer replies. </p><p>"Yeah, me too." Bubby's voice comes from the entryway of the kitchen, and the duo turn to face him as he grumpily crosses his arms. "It's <em>three in the fucking morning,</em> did you HAVE to get existential <em>now?</em> Some of us are trying to sleep!"</p><p>If Gordon weren't exhausted, he probably would have come up with something snarky in response. But he was tired, both from the hellish experience the week had brought, and from the amount of crying he's done in the past 24 hours. Besides, Bubby's tone lacked its usual sharpness, so he didn't really believe that the older man was annoyed with him.</p><p>Coomer huffs, hands on his hips in playful disappointment. "Oh hush! Need I remind you of how <em> just </em>the other day, you-"</p><p><em> "Shhhut up!" </em> Bubby cuts him off with a hiss, causing Coomer to laugh. His face is slightly pink from embarrassment.</p><p>"Afraid to show some affection for the man you love, Bubby? I'm hurt!" Coomer pouts, his tone making it very clear that he was trying to push Bubby’s buttons as much as possible. He takes a few steps forward, a grin on his face. "I'll have you know I enjoyed our reunion; a lovely display, <em> professor! </em>"</p><p>The emphasis on that last word seemed to spark something in the other man, and he took his own step forward, suddenly determined to do <em> something, </em> apparently.</p><p>"Doctor."</p><p>"Professor!" another step.</p><p>
  <em> "Doctor." </em>
</p><p>"Professor!"</p><p>The banter continues as Gordon watches from his spot by the sink. He watched as the two old men approached one another, not unlike how two cats about to fight would. For a moment he considered stepping in—like Bubby said, it was three in the morning, and he was <em> not </em>in the mood to clean up after these two—but he stayed in place, captivated by the scene.</p><p>The two scientists seemed to make a silent agreement, and before Gordon could even react, Coomer and Bubby moved forward quickly and their hands pressed against each other. Their arms shook from the pressure as they wrestled, but neither seemed willing to give up. Both of them were grinning, with Bubby looking particularly intimidating as his lips parted to reveal sharp teeth. Coomer was unfazed, instead giggling and pushing forward even <em> harder. </em></p><p>Gordon was impressed that Bubby was so equally matched with Coomer. Sure, he’d seen them fight once before—and Bubby had <em> won, </em>knocking Coomer unconscious—but for some reason he found himself in awe at how they were keeping up with one another.</p><p>Bubby’s force seems to wane for a moment, and Coomer quickly pushes as hard as he can, throwing the man off-balance. Before Bubby can recover, Coomer wraps his arms around him and lifts him up over his shoulders. Bubby blinks a few times, adjusting to the sudden movement, before sticking out his bottom lip in a pout and sighing. </p><p>“<em> Fine, </em> you win, Harold.” He groans.</p><p>“Haha!” Coomer laughs joyfully, planting Bubby back on his feet. “Wonderful match, Professor! You nearly had me there!”</p><p>Bubby’s brow furrows and he opens his mouth to correct Coomer with a <em> ‘doctor’, </em>but the other man cuts him off with a quick kiss. Gordon lets out a quiet ‘aww’ and Bubby scowls at him.</p><p>Gordon takes to clearing his throat and begins moving away from the sink, towards the doorway. Coomer pulls Bubby aside with him and lets Gordon pass, letting out a<em> ‘Goodnight, Gordon!’ </em> as Gordon waves. Bubby mumbled something along the lines of <em> ‘get back to bed, you look like shit’. </em> Gordon quietly chuckled to himself as he headed back towards his bedroom.</p><p>When he opens the door, he finds that the lamp is still on. <em> Shit, did he forget to turn it off when he left? </em> Tommy shifts in the bed, turning onto his side to face Gordon, smiling. He scoots over, and Gordon wastes no time in crawling under the covers to snuggle between the two men. It’s cozy, the warmth from when Tommy had been laying there still residing. Benrey grumbles something incoherent and Gordon turns his head towards him.</p><p>“What was that, Benrey?"</p><p>“huh? wha?” the other says, opening his eyes and squinting at Gordon. His helmet is crooked on his head, and Gordon <em> knows </em> that can’t be comfortable.</p><p>“Jesus, take that shit off, dude.” He huffs, absentmindedly reaching both hands out and pulling the helmet off of Benrey’s head before he can react. Long, messy black hair falls against his shoulders, and Gordon is left blinking in surprise. He wasn’t expecting Benrey to <em> have </em> that much hair. <em> But god, was it attractive, </em>his mind thought.</p><p>He must’ve been staring in awe, because Benrey suddenly wrapped his arms around Gordon’s torso and nuzzled into his chest, hiding his face. His voice was muffled, but Gordon barely heard the response “...said ‘it took you long enough’… gayass…”</p><p>Gordon tossed the helmet to the side, and it rolled off the edge of the bed, hitting the floor with a soft <em> thump. </em>Thank god he had carpeted floors. With the helmet gone, and Gordon comfortably in place, Tommy moved to turn off the lamp. Gordon feels the taller man snuggle close to him, kissing him on the top of the head and wrapping his arms around him. Benrey hums quietly, and soft orbs of light float up to the air, quickly dulling as his voice grows quieter. </p><p>Gordon’s mind quickly grows hazy as sleep beckons him. He feels the comfort of the men he loves surrounding him, in a bed that’s his own, in a <em> house </em>that’s his own. He thinks about the future, about how Joshua will get to grow up with the family Gordon had formed with the Science Team. It brings a smile to his face as he drifts off.</p><p>He had a feeling there would be a lot of sunny days up ahead.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>yall ever hear a song that makes you go "oh shit i need to write a fic abt my hyperfixation" bc thats exactly what happened here. </p>
<p>i never write stuff so this probably isnt th best but heyyy i got the confidence to post it so thats a win. im fairly proud of it!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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